The Healing Catalyst

Dr. Kristin Neff is an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and is the author of two books, including her newest, “Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive”. Dr. Neff is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion, developing an evidence-supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion. Today, Dr. Neff unpacks what self-compassion is, along with the difference between tender and fierce self-compassion, and why we need both to support resilience in times of transition. She teaches simple practices for connecting deeper to yourself to ease emotional discomfort, and shares how to reframe your pain and remember you aren’t alone.Today on The Healing Catalyst:Tender vs. fierce self-compassion and why we need bothWhy self-compassion is the best practice for difficult timesHow self-compassion increases authenticityThe connection between gender equality and self-compassion  Why it’s critical we turn inward to ask ourselves what we needWhy men are more self-compassionate than womenFollow Dr. Neff:Instagram: @NeffSelfCompassion Website: self-compassion.org Book: Fierce Self-CompassionDocumentary: The Horse BoyResources:Sign-up for the Energy Reset Masterclass: avanti-kumar-singh.mykajabi.com/energy-resetJoin The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Connect with Dr. Avanti:Subscribe, Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastWebsite: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Today, Dr. Avanti opens up the conversation around fasting for optimal health, sharing how Ayurvedic Rhythmic Fasting is one of the most ancient healing practices in human history. By the end of the episode, you’ll understand the healing power behind this practice and how to begin implementing it in your life!Today on The Healing Catalyst:Fasting vs. Restriction: the intention behind eachAutophagy for cell renewal and rejuvenationKeep toxins low and vital energy high for optimal healthBenefits of fasting & coordinating your eating with the path of the sunHow to approach Ayurvedic Rhythmic FastingResources:Sign-up for the Energy Reset Masterclass: avanti-kumar-singh.mykajabi.com/energy-resetJoin The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Referenced episode: The Principle of Ayurvedic Eating: Using Food as MedicineConnect with Dr. Avanti:Subscribe, Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastWebsite: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Nitika Chopra is the founder of Chronicon, a media and events company dedicated to elevating the lives of those living with a chronic illness. Today, Nitika shares her own healing story with chronic illness, and how it led her to entrepreneurship and becoming an advocate for others living with a chronic disease.Today on The Healing Catalyst:Nitika’s healing journey: the social, emotional, and physical effect of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis How living with chronic illness affected Nitika’s relationships and careerThe profound impact of having a community that makes you feel seenWhy Nitika became a voice for others living with chronic illnessFollow Nitika:Instagram: @nitikachopra Website: nitikachopra.com Connect with Dr. Avanti:Subscribe, Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastWebsite: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Bobbi Brown is a makeup artist and entrepreneur who founded the global brand, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics that started with a line of 10 lipsticks. She’s also a NY Times best-selling author of 9 books about beauty and wellness. Today, Bobbi shares her evolution from makeup to wellness, and how she intersected the two with her new line of clean beauty products, Jones Road. Bobbi also gives us a look into her personal life, sharing her experience as a working mom running a multi-million dollar company, always putting her family first.Today on The Healing Catalyst:Revolutionizing the makeup industry & how Bobbi’s curiosity drives herWhy Bobbi decided to become a health coachThe development of Bobbi’s supplement line from her own personal needsBeing a working mom running a multi-million dollar companyBobbi’s non-negotiables for health and wellnessFollow Bobbi:Instagram: @justbobbidotcom ; @jonesroadbeauty Website: justbobbi.com ; jonesroadbeauty.com Connect with Dr. Avanti:Subscribe, Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastWebsite: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Lisa Mattam is a former pharmaceutical executive turned natural skincare entrepreneur. She is the founder and creator of Sahajan Skincare, an evidence-based, Ayurvedic skincare line. Today, Lisa shares her upbringing in a South Asian family and the Ayurvedic lifestyle she grew up with. You’ll hear about her experience assimilating into western culture, and why she later came back to her roots in Ayurvedic medicine. Lisa shares her top skincare tips, ingredients, and DIY face masks that naturally help collagen production, skin rejuvenation, and overall skin health.Today on The Healing Catalyst:The creation of Sahajan: Lisa’s evidence-based, Ayurvedic skincare lineHow gut health toxin buildup will reflect on the skin3 skincare tips that are critical for healthy skin3 of Lisa’s favorite Ayurvedic skincare ingredients for anti-agingSimple DIY Ayurvedic face mask recipes for skin rejuvenationResources:Sign-up to become a founding member of The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastVisit sahajan.com and use the discount code “avanti15” for 15% off!Follow Lisa:Instagram: @sahajanskincareWebsite: sahajan.com ; lisamattam.comConnect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and the author of “Boundary Boss”. Today, she’s unpacking how to get out of your own way and become empowered in your ability to create loving boundaries in your relationships. Hear her journey of moving from the entertainment industry into her career as a therapist, and why she’s so passionate about helping individuals create healthy boundaries with themselves and others. Terri provides an exercise for you to check in with the state of your boundaries, and shares what you can do today to start establishing boundaries in your relationships.Today on The Healing Catalyst:Terri’s life changing moment at her first Alcoholics Anonymous meetingHow we take on the feelings of others - learning to separate what’s yours vs. theirsThe connection between internal boundaries and relationshipsThe most important clues that you lack boundariesHow to reflect on your relationship with saying ‘no’Actionable steps to start establishing boundaries in your relationships Resources:Sign-up to become a founding member of The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastListen: The 3 Powerful Steps I Took To Heal My Depression… And 10 Signs You Might Need Help To Heal YoursFollow Terri:Free Gift: boundarybossbook.com Instagram: @terricoleWebsite: terricole.com Book: Boundary BossPodcast: The Terri Cole ShowConnect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

In today’s episode, Dr. Avanti opens up about her experience with depression and the 3 powerful steps she took to heal. She shares how she was actually a textbook case of major depressive disorder while in medical school, but was frequently excusing away all the signs she was experiencing. You’ll learn the 10 signs of clinical depression, how anxiety and depression coexist, and actionable steps to begin taking back control of your life.Today on The Healing Catalyst:How anxiety and depression coexist The 10 warnings signs of depression How Dr. Avanti “explained away” the signs of her depressionThe 3 powerful steps Dr. Avanti took to heal her depressionHow to increase serotonin and oxytocin to help ease depression Why you want to get natural daylight every morningHow to make small changes in your diet to help the gut-brain axisResources:Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastJoin The Healing Catalyst Collective Dr. Avanti’s Referenced IG Post Global numbers for depression: who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depressionNIMH numbers for depression in US: nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depressionAndrew Huberman, Stanford University: Huberman LabSuicide prevention hotline: suicidepreventionlifeline.orgConnect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Is your heightened stress leaving you chronically tired and anxious? If so, you aren’t alone in this—the epidemic of stress has increased significantly in the past year. To aid you in healing your fatigue, Dr. Avanti is unpacking how you can lower your stress response by healing your HPA axis (aka the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis that controls our stress response). By the end, you’ll know 5 simple, proven ways to begin regulating your stress hormones to optimize your health!Today on The Healing Catalyst:How regulation vs. dysregulation of the HPA axis affects the body's stress responseThe symptoms of HPA axis dysregulation you may be experiencing dailyHow regulating sleep, blood sugar and inflammation influences stress hormonesUsing the Optimizing Health Pyramid™ to heal the HPA axis5 specific ways to support the HPA axis and stress hormonesResources:Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastAvanti’s Book: The Health CatalystJoin The Healing Catalyst Collective to receive the Optimizing Health Pyramid resource!Stress in America: January 2021 Stress Snapshot” from the American Psychological Association (APA) Connect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comIG: @avantikumarsinghPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dr. Amy Shah is a double board-certified medical doctor with training from Cornell, Columbia and Harvard, and she specializes in food allergies, hormones, and gut health. Her new book, "I’m So Effing Tired”, explores how exhaustion should not be your normal, and explains how to regain your energy through what and when you eat, and by managing stress. Today, Dr. Amy joins Dr. Avanti to break down how to heal the three sides of our “energy trifecta” to overcome fatigue and burnout, providing actionable steps you can begin implementing today!Today on The Healing Catalyst:The pressure of gender and cultural expectationsHow assimilating into American culture affected Dr. Amy’s view of medicineMisconceptions around “adrenal fatigue” & the concept of “miracle pills”Tips for healing your gut, immune system, & hormones for increased energyDr. Amy’s one daily non-negotiable related to light exposureResources:Sign-up to become a founding member of The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Rate and Review: The Healing Catalyst podcastFollow Dr. Amy:Website: amymdwellness.com Instagram: @fastingmd Book: I’m So Effing TiredConnect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comIG: @avantikumarsinghBook: The Health CatalystPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Tara Stiles is the founder of Strala Yoga and the author of Clean Mind, Clean Body where she takes you through a 4-week reset for your mind, body, and spirit. In today’s episode, Tara shares how she got started in yoga, and how she’s evolved in the way she teaches and thinks about the practice. Dr. Avanti and Tara unpack their perspectives on healing, exploring the power of mindset and its role in health. They wrap up this nourishing and inspiring conversation with some fun and personal rapid-fire questions!Today on The Healing Catalyst:How Tara found yoga & how her teaching style has evolvedThe path of bringing yoga and Ayurveda to more peopleChanging your mindset before your dietWhat Tara’s learned about slowing down & doing lessThe future of wellness with respect to representationFollow Tara:IG: @tarastilesWebsite: tarastiles.com Book: Clean Mind, Clean BodyResources:Sign-up to become a founding member of The Healing Catalyst Collective and access resources for this episode.Connect with Dr. Avanti:Website: avantikumarsingh.comIG: @avantikumarsinghBook: The Health CatalystPodcast: avantikumarsingh.com/podcastThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.